A look at the other parties

While the Liberals, NDP and Green Party will likely be the only three parties with candidates in every provincial riding this year, there are dozens of other registered parties that could field at least one candidate each in 2005. The following nine parties submitted descriptions to Elections B.C. in 2005.

The B.C. Conservative Party  www.bcconservatives.ca  The B.C. Conservative Party supports tax breaks for workers and businesses, switching to the Single Transferable Vote system to bring proportional representation to the legislature, allowing parents to choose from a variety of school systems, and allowing free votes except on issues of confidence. The Leader is Barry E. Chilton.

The B.C. Marijuana Party  www.bcmarijuanaparty.com  The B.C. Marijuana Party supports personal freedom when it comes to issues like marijuana use, providing youre not harming anyone else.

The Bloc British Columbia Party  The Bloc is one of B.C.s separatist parties, urging the province to split from the rest of Canada.

The Democratic Reform Party  The Democratic Reform Party believes in free votes in the legislature, allowing MLAs to vote for their constituents interests rather than the party platform, as well as a fairer, more democratic distribution of government services.

The Idealist Party  The Idealist Party does not accept funding from any groups, would represent family values, and would bring the peoples wishes directly to the legislature. "Clean air and water, abortion, marijuana, fish farms, pine beetles and selling alcohol or illegal drugs of any kind to children and teenagers will be our big challenges."

Western Canada Concept Party of B.C.  like the Bloc, the Concept Party is advocating for an independent B.C. through a referendum, and would work together with other western provinces to create a new Nation of Western Canada that would be regionally equal in the Senate and House of Commons.

The Western Refederation Party of British Columbia  www.refedbc.com  The Refederation Party is advocating a system of direct democracy where all citizens vote on crucial issues, while simultaneously reducing the taxing and spending power of the federal government.

Work Less Party of British Columbia  www.worklessparty.org  This party is advocating the adoption of a 32 hour work week in the province. "What we are proposing is: work less, consume less and live more." To accomplish this the party would restrict rental costs and property prices, increase taxes on luxury goods that are detrimental to the environment, reduce the work week, and promote the arts, education, sport and research.

Your Political Party of B.C.  www.yourpoliticalpartyofbc.com  The YPP is advocating for less government bureaucracy, lower taxes, and more money for public servants like nurses, doctors and teachers. The budget would also be transparent, allowing British Columbians to see exactly how their tax dollars are spent.

Other registered political parties include The Alternative Party; the Annexation Party of British Columbia; B.C. Youth Coalition; BC Citizens Alliance Now; BC Democratic Futures Party; BC Labour Party; BC Party; BC Patriot Party; BC Social Credit Party; BC Unity Party; Canadian Alliance Party of BC; Centre Democratic Party; Citizens Action Party; Citizens Commonwealth Federation; Communist Party of BC, Confederation Party of BC; Emerged Democracy Party of BC; Enterprise Party of BC; Free Canadian Party; Freedom Party of BC; Link BC; Moderate Democratic Movement; Natural Law Party of BC; the Party of Citizens Who Have Decided To Think For Themselves And Be Their Own Politicians; Peoples Front; The People of BC Millionaires Party; The Reform Party of B.C.; United Peoples Action Party; Western Reform.